DESCRIPTION: (Verbatim from the applicant's abstract) A consortium of four research centers is seeking funding to work together in a joint investigation to create a functional integrated sample preparation device. The strategy of this front end sample preparation micro device is to produce a research tool that has the flexibility to be integrated with a number of downstream analysis objectives, i.e., either sequencing or genotyping. The proposed micro scale front-end sample preparation system is composed of three main micro compartments, which includes: 1.) Sample introduction, combined with cell sorting and selection. 2.) Cell lysis, recovery of the nucleic acid material of choice (e.g., DNA or mRNA), and sample cleanup via solid phase extraction or affinity capture. 3.) Elution of the material to an amplification micro chamber, and subsequent amplification (e.g., PCR or rtPCR). The proposed BRP will begin by focusing on investigations of the individual micro compartments during Years 1, 2, and 3. Also during this time, the members of the BRP will develop a technology strategy for realizing all three micro compartments using common technology. During Years 4 and 5, the BRP will focus on integrating the compartments into a monolithic micro sample preparation system. The expected applications of the research addresses one of the major social issues of the twentieth century in this country, national health care, and stands to directly impact it by providing effective miniaturized instrumentation for biochemical analysis. It is anticipated that the results of this research will provide critical insight into one of the key components of the future, portable biochemical analysis systems. The proposed studies associated with the BRP will further the technology base necessary for the development of the front-end for these miniaturized analysis systems, i.e., the micro scale sample preparation systems.